Towards the end of last year, I finally made my maiden trip to Cape Town, South Africa. The Mother City that has been on my bucket list of destination a while; and what was meant to be a brief escape from capitalism ended up being a very memorable and fulfilling experience. I decided to compile a summary of my itinerary for my fellow
Day 1 : Bo- Kaap & Waterfront
Arrived at the hotel early morning. Had some coffee then freshened up. Got a bit of work done then went out for a stroll in Bo-Kaap as it was walking distance from my hotel. It was probably not such a smart idea to step out at 1pm because the heat was intense.
I visited the Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum and got to the history of the Mehndi family who owned the building that houses the present Museum.
If you’ve ever looked for travel inspo on Pinterest, then you will definitely not miss the colorful buildings of Bo-Kaap. The bright neon houses, which were painted so as an act of defiance by freed Muslim slaves following the abolition of slavery remain a prominent reminder of the past in the current age.
In the evening, I headed over to the Waterfront for sunset and dinner at Harbor House. The Grilled Prawns were amazing!
Day 2: Two Oceans Aquarium & Camps Bay
Visited the Two Oceans Aquarium and spent my entire afternoon marveling at the sea creatures and reading about them. Sitting in the dark jelly-fish room was an incredibly calming experience which I highly recommend. The highlight of the aquarium visit was watching the fish-feeding and seeing the string-rays and sharks.
Later in the evening, I headed to Camps Bay for dinner at Bilboa; the atmosphere, food and service were fantastic!
Day 3: Cape Winelands
Took the full day Red Bus Tour to the Cape Winelands of Stellenbosch, Franchoek and Paarl. As a wine-nerd, and one who highly rates South African wines, this was one of my best experiences and I highly recommend. The bus had a knowledgeable guide and the drive through the scenic landscapes was spectacular. I got time to sketch, read, journal and doze off during the lengthy drive.
We visited 3 wine estates, one in each of the wine regions. My favorite tasting was at the Simonsig Wine Estate . There were some stopovers in the towns to take in a bit of the history and get some photo-ops.
Day 4: Zeitz MOCAA & Table Mountain
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Arts was high priority on my Cape Town places and there happened to be an installation happening while I was there.
Afterwards, I did a bit of shopping at the V&A and headed back to the hotel for a day of pampering at the Spa. I got a healing massage which was incredibly relaxing and felt re-energized afterwards. Had a short nap before heading out to the Table Mountain around 3.30pm. I took the cable car to the top of course as my short itinerary could not allow me to do the full hike.
The views at the top of the mountain were just too stunning they left me speechless. Quite easy to understand why our ancestors revered and worshiped God on mountains. Being at at the stop, staring down at the splendor of nature beneath was a surreal experience. I found myself all teary because and emotional because my heart was just too full.
A word of caution though; do wear warm clothing as it gets quite chilly at the top. The Table Mountain lies 2300 above Sea Level and the temperature at such altitude is low. I erred in wearing a light jacket as I was fooled by the sunny weather and heat at the bottom of the mountain. Also, make an ample allowance for time to stroll through the Table Mountain National Park and observe the flora and fauna which I found to be really beautiful.
I had made dinner reservations at the Salsify at The Roundhouse which had been on my Gourmet experiences for Cape Town. Dining is by reservation only; you have to book and pay a deposit in advance. The 7-Course Tasting Menu with Wine Pairing cost me a total of ZAR 2800 excluding tips. There are two set menus depending on your preferences and food restrictions; I opted for the Pescatarian Menu as I do not eat red meat and it was amazing. Ended up being the only solo diner at the establishment but the chefs and attending staff made feel exceptionally special and entertained throughout the night. Highly recommend this place for that special treat/occasion.
With my last activity in Cape Town concluded, I headed back to my hotel to pack; then spent the rest of the evening soaking in the tub while sipping on some Chardonnay and listening to music before finally heading to bed in preparation for my return flight.
Accommodation & Logistics
I stayed at Pepperclub Hotel which I reserved through the Booking app. The hotel is on Loop Street which is quite convenient and easily accessible. They had free scheduled shuttles to V&A Waterfront and Camps Bay Daily which I found to be quite convenient and considerate. The service was exceptional, and I felt pampered the entire time. The room exceeded my expectations in all ways and was definitely value for money. Breakfast was fantastic!!
I used Uber for short trips and it was convenient; found it easier to charge all trips on my card for ease of movement and dealing with the drivers.
Being a Quantity Surveyor, ofcourse I had to keep track of my expenses. Here’s a brief summary of my total expenses of the above itinerary excluding taxi fares, meals not indicated, snacks and gratuities.
Canduh 
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